Results

This is the first round. I overcrowded the mason jars so the soda ash didn't get full distribution causing some splotching and wash out. I picked the splotchiest, palest pieces out of the basket and overdyed them (there was leftover dye that I put in the refrigerator on the deck). This time I gave the pieces plenty of space both in the dye and plenty of soda ash. My camera refuses to see how vibrant these colors really are. Even the dark purple glows. What looks like a lame teal in the second photo is an intense leaf green. Von has asked about using more dye and overdyeing. I say "yes & yes". The more research you do on dyeing, the more conflicting information you will find. My methods fall somewhere between Melody Johnson's Lazy Dyer and something gleaned from Paula Burch's thorough and technical compendium of information. There are so many variables that it hurts my head to keep deadly track of each one (except for safety concerns) and doing anything 100% by-the-book was never my style.

First Fruits

We had our first outdoor dyefest today. It hit 82 degrees just now. Typically for Georgia, we go straight from bone chilling wet days, head over heels into summer. I don't know how the plants and animals manage without spring. This is the batch of antique table and bed linen I have been hoarding since last summer - some of it a gift from a friend in FL who ran out of closet space and some of it booty from the estate sales and flea markets of Rhode Island. There is everything here from swatches of lawn so old and fragile I have to be careful wringing it out, to gauze, sateen, shirting, and embroidered damask. Total fatigue is causing me to let this crop batch properly before my color greed gets the best of me. Did something a little different this time. I tossed the water damp cloth with the dyes on the tabletop like so much salad or bread dough, then stuffed the color kin in the mason jars to stew awhile in the heat. I ran out of jars in pretty short order so there's a dozen gallon plastic baggies stuffed with fat colors too. After a few hours I went back and gave each bag and jar a good drench with soda ash sauce. I go out there and turn everything from time to time like Mrs.Owl with her eggs. Now, I'm going to try to forget it all until tomorrow afternoon.

Blues Bound

I spent time in the studio all weekend getting those small pieces ready to ship to Maine and packing them and of course grazing through all the fabric that is tossed all around the studio, fondling this and fingering that. This always leads to sorting fabrics into teams that seem to get along together and could lead to works full grown later on. I was gravitating to small pieces of solid hand-dyes (I am supposed to be making a lap throw for my Mom in Easter-ish colors for when they kick her out of the rehab hospital sometime in April) but I had one of the big Bubbles series under the needle for quilting first so there were just little piles of scraps here and there. Then Jim and I got into it as good partners must from time to time. Hot words and spiky emotions quickly flash to tears that are good for me to spill rather than save up because I can say some really horrible things given enough spark. Instead, we wisely parted ways for the day and when I got back from doing errands I gathered up those bright scraps and slashed and sewed myself some calm. You can sure tell that this isn't how Lisa Call goes about her work but there you have it. Now, I have started quilting and pulled the stitching out three time and dreamed it had smaller needle-turned rectangles appliqued inside some of the bars. Which ones? What colors? Stitch in the ditch? Stitch at all? Time will tell but it feels good in my hands and heart.

Lost Sketchbook

Now I know why Karma and Jinx have been lurking under the bedskirts. I woke early to hear tiny chewing sounds. Once it was light, I started pulling out the drawers built into the bedframe. There must be a mouse under there somewhere because in one drawer there was an old paintbrush with all the bristles chewed off. I left all the drawers open to let the girls do their stuff, hopefully while I am not looking. Deep in one of the drawers I found an old sketchbook I used while I was in some kind of technical training at work. Spatulitis is where I keep non-fiber artstuff-photos and the like.

Cash in Hand

"Southeast View" SOLD Well, a check anyway. My face has been hurting from grinning for a month. It's official. Up to now I have been afraid it was all in my imagination but here's a nice slice of reality complete with cream cheese frosting! About three weeks ago, I was approached by the owners of a new shop opening in the booming downtown Arts district of Portland, Maine. They came across my shop on Etsy.com and made me an offer to buy ALL NINE of the small pieces I had listed there. (The things there now are all new listings) "Ladder" SOLD At fist I had a cold panic fearing that the offer was coming from Belarus or Moggadishu when I had clearly indicated on Etsy that I would only ship domestic. I have enough headaches, thanks. Then I studied the Esty listings and wondered where the heck these little pieces actually were. An afternoon of rummaging and unpacking, I found all the pieces in good order. Whew! I had donated several small works to the Art Doing Good project and worried that I had screwed up and was offering stuff for sale that I no longer had in my possession. I have to start keeping better track of the product. Then I had a very pleasant email give & take with the owners of "Edith & Edna, Inc. - a curated shopping experience" and it all looks like a launch. I am spending this weekend sewing on sleeves, perhaps a false back, a little touch up pressing here & there - wrapping and then packing the whole lot to be shipped off to Maine as soon as the owners give the word. "Test Pattern 2" SOLD And here are the Crunchy Sugar Sprinkles on top of this tasty item - they are going to be offering classes starting in the summer and have invited me to consider teaching something. I would be great at teaching "Grinning Idiot 101" right about now!